Legendary engineer Al Schmitt was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 13. On-hand for the ceremony were (l-r): producer Don Was, Schmitt and musician Joe Walsh. Photos: Steve HarveyHollywood, CA (August 14, 2015)—The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored recording engineer, mixer and producer Al Schmitt with a star on the Walk of Fame, outside the Capitol Records tower where he works, on August 13, 2015.

“We hereby declare this Al Schmitt Day,” said Leron Gubler, president/CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, presenting Schmitt with a resolution signed by the members of the City Council and the Mayor of Los Angeles. Schmitt is the first recording engineer to be presented with a star, said Gubler.

Music producer and musician Don Was, president of Blue Note Records, introduced Schmitt. “He’s not there to leave his thumbprint on the artist’s forehead; he’s there to quietly bring out the warmth and the intimacy of their performance. That’s a very noble mission,” said Was. “And let there be no mistake about it, it takes a beautiful cat to consistently make such beautiful records. I can think of no other figure in the entire music business who is as loved and respected as Al Schmitt.”

Musician Joe Walsh also spoke: “Elvis, for a while, sold the most records of anybody. For a while the Eagles did, then Michael Jackson took over. U2 claims they’ve sold the most records of anybody. Nope. Twenty-four Grammys, 150 gold and platinum albums—Al Schmitt has sold more records than anybody.”

“When I was a kid growing up in Brooklyn, something like this was beyond my wildest dreams,” said Schmitt, before acknowledging a few people. “I want to thank Tommy LiPuma for 45 years of just great music. What a career we’ve had together.”